smyser



- Jan..9, 1940. H, ESMYSER 2,186,790

TRA-SH RACK BAKE Filed Sept. 16, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l Y INVENTOR HARRY E. SMYSER ymmfavm.

ATTORN EY" Jan. 9,` 1940.

H. E.. SMYfSER TRASH RACK RAKE Filed sept. 16, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HARRY E. SMYSER BY Wrm n ATTORNEY Jan. 9, 1940. E SMYSER 2,186,790

TRASH RACK RAKE Filed Sept. 16, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR HARRY E. SNIYSER` ATTORNEY Jan. 9, 1940.' H E, SMYSER 2,186,790 x TRASH RACK RAKE Filed sept. le, 1938 5 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR HARRY E. SMYSER Bvmimrm ATTORN EY H. E. SMYSER Jan. 9, 1940.

TRASH RACK BAKE 'Filed sept. 1e, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 HARRY E. SMYS ER ATTO RNEY Patented Jan. 9, 1940 'TRASH meer L l HarryE. SmyserrYin'kJ Pa., assignor to' Morganl Smithl Company,` York, Pa., a corporation of;

Pennsylvania Application september 16, ie'iis, s'fer'ii No'. .230?,23513- claims. (ci. 21o- 176) :This inventionvrelates'" torakes of the type employed to remove trash from racks or gratings placed across the intakes of water Wheel flumes,

mill races and the Iik e,' to arrest matter whichv otherwisey would be carried by the Water intol themachinery. An object of the invention is to provide an improved trash rack rake in which the teeth of the rake are adapted to be disposed in such alti position thatthe rake will readily descend past the trash and can be moved into va position to catch andrai'se the trash on its upward mov'ementand can be dumped free of all trash or .1 logs when .in its. raised position.

annimprovedtrash rackake' in which the op-` erating mechanism forthe rake includes automatic means for controlling the position of the With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in View, the invention consists in thev construction and arrangement of theseveral parts which will'be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. v

-5 In the accompanying drawings:

. Figure l is a vertical transverse section of a trash rack showing the rake and its carrying frame and associated parts in endelevation, the m rake being shown in elevated position above the 30 trash rack;

Fig. 2 is a vfront elevation of the :structure shown in Fig.` 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail transverse section n of the rake, showing the same on the trash rack,` 33 the parts being in the position assumed when therake is descending the trash rack;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, partlyin section, of an end portion ofthe rake shown in Figi 3; Y Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of a io poi'tionoi' therake hoisting mechanism showing the same in rake lowering position;

6 is a. vertical transverse section taken on the line iQ-li of Fig. 5; s j y Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3, the rake being i5 shown on the trash rack in its ascending positOn;

Fig. 8 is'a section showing the relative positionof the hoisting mechanism shown in Fig. 5

when therake is being hoisted;

lteferringto the drawings thel improved trashl 'rack rake comprises a car I I in the form of a lo' Another 4object of the inventionis to prot/ide 1 tracksv are adaptedto support the rake 2| when Il Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse section taken onskeleton" framehavig wheels l2 by Whichthe carfc'anbe movedk along a track i3 mounted on top lof the concretel structure 'I4 of a darn or the uke. f

Alsosupported from thefconcrete structure I4 is 'a series oi barshl5, which constitutel a grating or screen for the intake of the flume, mill race or the; like, indicatedat le F ig 1 'I'he `trash rack bars ldmay be disposed either Vertioallyor obliquely. In the present instance lo" such bars are shown obliquely disposed. 4

Supported fromthe lframe of the car Il and extendingdownwardly towards the trash rack barsl i5 is a pair ofspaced angletracks I1. These the latter is elevated above the upper ends of f the bars l5, and .the upper ends of said tracks are bent inwardly as indicated at I8, so that therake will be positioned to dischargetrash collected thereby towards a bin I9 supported by 20 The rake" 2l comprises an elongated shaft 2 2 having iixed thereto and projecting therefrom a plurality of teeth 23.

The rake teeth v23 may be formed from'stout I aise the tracksV |1.

The wheels 25 are formed with peripheral ribs t whichl are adapted to enter between the bars l5 and therebyprevent' lateral displacement of the rak'eon lthe grating or screen'. Mounted on the end portions of the shaft 22 and in proximity to the vaxle arms 2li, are cranks' v The cranks 2l' extend outwardly from the shaft ZHasuitable*distance vand have pivotally con- 4U nectedthereto, as indicated at 28, the downturned ends 29 of a V-shaped bail 30. y The apex portion of the bail 30 carries links 3 l t o .which is connected one endl of a cable 32 wound arounda drum 33 of the hoisting mechanismi of the apparatus.

VEach.crank 2'] is formed with a grooved arcuate peripheral portion which is concentric to the center of rotation of the shaft 22.

ap'oint in theportion 35 of each crank 2'! to approximately diametrically opposite to the pivot 28,- there is secured to the crank 21 one end of a cable Sii (see Fig. 3).y

There arejtwo cables 36, one at each end of he rake 2|, and these cables are wound around E5 drums 31 of the hoisting mechanism 34, (see Fig. 10).

The drums 33 and 31 are mounted on a shaft 38 journalled in suitable bearings 39 supported in the upper portion of the car Il. The drums 31 are keyed to the shaft 38, and the drum 33 is, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 8 and 9, not keyed directly to said shaft, but is adapted to be rotated in the manner to be hereinafter described.

Supported by the frame of the car |I and disposed in parallel relation to the shaft 38, is a drive shaft 40.

Connected to the shaft 40 is an electric motor 4I which drives the shaft through a suitable clutch mechanism 42, thev operation of which clutch is controlled by a lever 43.

Mounted on the shaft 4I) is a gear 44 which is in meshing relationship with a gear 45 on the shaft 38. Both of these gears are keyed to their respective shafts.

One end 46 of the drum 33 is disposed adjacent one side of the gear 45, and this end of the drum 33 is formed with an opening 41 having two shoulders 48 and 49 formed therein as shown in Figs. 6 and 9.

The portion of the hub of the gear 45 adjacent to the end 46 of the drum 33 is formed with a lug 50 which is disposed within the opening 41. The opposite side walls of the lug 50 are adapted to alternately engage the shoulders 48 and 49 during operation of the device in the manner to be hereinafter described.

Operatively associated with the drum 33 is a brake mechanism including a brake band 53 and operating lever 54 therefor. This brake mechanism may be of any type, and in the present instance the lever 54 is adapted to be moved in the direction of the arrow, Fig. l, to apply the band 53 to the drum.

In operation, the car I I is adapted to be moved along the screen or grating provided by the bars I with the rake 2| in the upper position shown in Fig. 1.

After the car II has been positioned over a section of the screen which it is desired to clean, the rake 2| is lowered. In lowering the rake 2| the operator rst shifts the lever 43 to release the clutch 42, thereby permitting free rotation of the shaft 38 and the drums mounted thereon.

As soon as the rake 2| commences to descend, the operator controls the rate of speed of the rake by operating the brake lever 54.

During the downward movement of the rake 2| the rake teeth 23 will be pointed downwardly with the main body portions of said teeth disposed substantially parallel to the outer or front edges of the trash rack bars I5. y

In its downward movement, the rake 2| is suspended solely from the cable 32 which connects the bail 36 with the drum 33, which drum functions as a braking drum for the apparatus.

When the rake 2| has descended to the bottom of the screen provided by the bars I5 and it is desired to elevate the rake in order to remove trash which has accumulated on said bars, assuming that the electric motor 4| has been set into motion through the actuation of a suitable device (not shown), the operator engages the clutch mechanism by operating the clutch lever 43. This results in gear 45 being rotated by gear 44 and consequently shaft 38 is rotated in the direction in which the drums 33 and 31 are turned to wind up the cables 32 and 36, respectively.

However, since the drum 33 is not keyed to shaft 38, said drum will not be turned at the initiation of the hoisting operation.

When the drums 31 are rst turned at the commencement of the hoisting operation, the cables 36 will be drawn upwardly without imparting any upward movement to the rake 2|.

This upward pull of the cables 36 results in the shaft 22 of the raise 2| being turned through a limited arc, in which the rake teeth 23 are moved upwardly and inwardly into the spaces between the bars l5.

As shown in Fig. 6, when the rake teeth 23 are vdisposed downwardly (see Fig. 3), the lug 50 is in engagement with shoulder 49.

When the cables 36 pull the rake teeth 23 upwardly into the raking position shown in Fig. '1, due to the rotation of the shaft 38 in operating the drums 31 to draw the cables 36, the lug 50 will be moved away from the shoulder 49 and across the opening 41 and into engagement with the shoulder 48, as shown in Fig. 9.

As soon as the lug 56 engages shoulder 48 the drum 33 will be operatively connected to the shaft 38 so that during the hoisting operation the drum 33 will be also rotated and thereby wind up the cable 32 thereon.

However, during the hoisting operation the actual lifting of the rake 2| is effected through the upward pull imparted to the cables 36 by the drums 31.

After the rake 2| has been pulled upwardly to the upper ends of the angle tracks I1 and the debris discharged therefrom into the bin I9, the car II can be shifted to another section of the screen provided by the bars I5 and the cleaning operation repeated.

Since the parts are in the relative positions shown by Figs. '1, 8, and 9 when the rake 2| is in its upper position, at the initiation of the rake lowering operation, as soon as the clutch mechanism 42 is disconnected or released, the operator operates the brake lever 54 to hold the drum 33 from rotating while the rake 2| swings downwardly on the pivots 28 from the position shown in Fig. 'I to the position shown in Fig. 3. During this shifting movement of the rake the lug 5|I will move from shoulder 48 through the opening 41 to engage shoulder 49.

As shown in Figs. 5, 6. 8 and 9. pointer 55 is keyed to shaft 38 and the adjacent end of the drum 33 carries a similar pointer 5G, The vrelative positions cf these pointers is such that when the pointer 55 is in alinement with the pointer 56 (Fig. 6) it is designated that the rake teeth 23 are disposed downwardly and out of the spaces between the bars I5. are disposed in the spaces between the rack bars I5, the pointers are angularly disposed relative to each other, as shown in Fig. 9.

Thus, during the operation of the apparatus an operator can, by referring to the position of the pointers 55 and 56, determine the corresponding positions of the teeth of the rake. Consequently, when the operator notes that the pointers are disposed in alinement with each other at the initiation of the rake lowering operation described above, can then release the brake 53 to permit gradual descent of the rake.

Since the rake teeth 23 are disposed in spaced relation to the trash rack bars I5 during the rake lowering operation, the rake will readily pass over trash which has collected on the bars. In this way the rake will not disturb the trash on the bars during the lowering operation and consequently none of the trash will be carried When the rake teeth 23 aiaaveof claim is:

1. A trash rack rake comprising an elongated shaft having `a plurality of rake teeth, wheels mounted on said shaft and adapted to connected to each of said cranks at a point offset with respect to the pivotal connection of the bail therewith, and means for raising and lowering said cables whereby the cable connected to said bail functions as ar lowering cable by which the rake is lowered on the trash rack bars with its'teeth pointed downwardly and in spaced relation to said bars and the cables connected to said cranks function as lifting cables by which the rake shaft is rst turned preparatory to ascendving the trash rack bars to move the rake teeth into the spaces between the bars.

2. A trash rack rake comprising an elongated shaft having a plurality of rake teeth, wheels mounted on said shaft and adapted to run on trash rack bars, a crank fixed to each end portion of said shaft, a bail having its ends plv.- otally connected to the end portions of said cranks, a cable connected to said bail, a cable connected to each of said cranks at a point offset with respect to the pivotal connection of the bail therewith, means for raising and lowering said cables whereby the cable connected to said bail functions as a lowering cable by which the rake is lowered on the trash rack bars with its teeth pointed downwardly and in spaced relation to said bars and the cables connected to said cranks function as lifting cables by which the rake shaft is first turned preparatory to ascending the trash rack bars to move the rake teeth into the spaces between the bars, said cable raising and loweringy means comprising a drum for` each cable, the drums for the hoisting cables being keyed directly to a drive'shaft and the drum for the lowering cable being mounted on the drive shaft for limited angular movements with respect to the other drums whereby to effect the limited turning movement of the rake fromv one position thereof to the other position thereof'with respect to the trash rack bars.

run on trash rack bars, a crank fixed to each end por-y 3. A trash rack rake comprising an elongated shaft having a plurality of rake teeth, wheels mounted on the end portions of said shaft and adapted to run on trash rack bars, a crank fixed to each end portion of said shaft and extending outwardly therefrom, a bail having ends pivotally connected to` said cranks, a cable connected'to said bail, a cable connected toeach of said cranks at a point oifset with respect to the pivotal connection of the bail therewith, a plurality of drums, one for each of said cables, said drumsbeing mounted on a single shaft, lost motion means between'one drum and said shaft to permit limited angular movement of said drum with respect to the other drumsl at the initiation of the lowering and raising operation of the rake whereby to eiect limited turning movement ofthe rake with respect to the trash rack bars, and means for operating said drum shaft.

4. A trash rack rake comp-rising a shaft having a plurality of rake teeth, means for supportingsaid rake for reciprocatory movements over trash rack bars, a crank fixed to each end portion of said rake, a bail havingits ends pivotallly connected tothe .end portions of said cranks, a

with, and means for raising and lowering said cables whereby the cable connected to said bail functions as a lowering cable and the cables connected to said cranks function as lifting cables.

5. A trash rack rake comprising a shaft having a plurality of rake teeth, means for supporting said rake for reciprocatory movements over trash rack bars, a crank xed to each end portion of said rake, a bail having its ends pivotally connected to the end portions of said cranks, a cable connected to said bail, a cable connected to each of said cranks at a point offset with respect to the pivotal connection of the bail therewith, hoisting and lowering mechanism for said cable comprising a plurality of drums, one for each cable, the drum for the cable connected to said bail having a limited angular movement with the rake with respect to the trash rack bars.

HARRY E. SMYSER. 

